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Kimberley LNG plant - PLEASE READ

To: <>
Subject: Kimberley LNG plant - PLEASE READ
From: Simon Mustoe <>
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:48:35 +0000
HI,

I have had the pleasure of just returning from a WWF workshop in which the 
strategic scope for development of the Kimberley coast in terms of a Liquified 
Natural Gas (LNG) facility was discussed. The workshop was attended by senior 
Ministerial delegates and decision-makers. Anyone with concern about this needs 
to know the facts, as they pertain to a novel process that the WA EPA / DEC and 
the Federal government is embarking upon. You will have plenty of time to 
comment and I would encourage everyone to do so, including the conservation 
groups. This is a chance to make a real difference. If you do not take the time 
to understand the process, your criticism will at worst defeat the purpose and 
at best have little or no positive impact on any decisions made.

Please read and understand the following:

1. The location of any LNG facility does not appear to be a foregone conclusion.
2. The governments have rejected ad hoc development of LNG, and instead are 
embarking on their own minimum 6 month process to identify strategically placed 
options for location within and outside the Kimberley.
3. The strategic identification of options and a preferred site will be done 
with consideration of indigenous and western environmental, social and economic 
factors and be run by the government (drawing on substantial technical 
expertise outside the oil and gas industry).
4. The governments insist that any LNG development will be done at a central 
hub that all companies can use. This is to avoid normal practice, where 
companies could put in applications for several different facilities (as has 
been the case conventionally). In fact, there are such applications in now, or 
pending. As identified here, the Maret Islands is one such example.  However, I 
understand no decision will be made on whether this or any other site is 
suitable until a full assessment of potential sites has been completed. These 
sites could end up not appearing on the shortlist.
5. Once alternative sites are chosen, there will be a 2-year bilateral process 
of EIA before any decision is made to approve any given project - in other 
words, the 6-month assessment is not final.
6. Parallel to the process of choosing alternative sites for LNG is 
consideration of world heritage listing for parts of the Kimberley.

The governments are taking the very important step of choosing alternative 
sites and it would be a risky process if it were to fail. If it does, we go 
back to the way things were, which entitles anyone to apply to put any industry 
anywhere. The government has one chance to get this right and they are patently 
aware of this, so it would fitting to see the knowledge of people on this forum 
collated and put to the government for their consideration. Don't forget, 
no-one can act on information they do not have.

Under conventional EIA practice, choosing sites and alternatives falls to the 
proponent but is rarely if every done. When it is done, it is done poorly. The 
current process is a new and potentially very important step in the way we 
approach major industrial development at a strategic level in Australia. We 
really need this to work and for that to happen, all relevant information must 
be provided to the government so that they may act on it.

Terms of reference for the strategic assessment are going on public display 
soon. Please, please, please, read and make comments on these. Also, make sure 
that you provide criticism only where it is necessary. More importantly, try to 
support the process through submission of knowledge as this is far more 
crucial. The government are more at ease with receiving public knowledge to 
inform these processes and the avenues for involvement are more open than for 
EIA processes, which often require costly legal intervention.

To read more about the governments' decision, see 
http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2008/02/05/bloomberg-australia-to-pick-single-site-for-kimberley-lng-plant-update2/

Regards,

Simon Mustoe.
Director, AES Applied Ecology Solutions PL.

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